FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT KNEE - PAGE 4

The Sports Xchange Mets, Nieuwenhuis hoping for just 'brusied knee' New York Mets outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis was forced to leave Sunday's exhibition game against the Miami Marlins because of bruised knee. Nieuwenhuis, projected as the Mets starting center fielder on opening day, was injured when trying to steal second base in the seventh inning during a 6-4 loss to the Marlins. He was helped off the field and placed on a cart in the dugout and transported to clubhouse beyond the outfield wall in Jupiter, Fla. Nieuwenhuis downplayed the injury, according to ESPNNewYork.com, saying, "I probably could have limped (to the clubhouse)

The Sports Xchange EditorsNote: fixes dates in fifth graf Nationals OF Harper out with knee bursitis Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was not in Monday's lineup and will probably also be out Tuesday because of knee bursitis. Manager Davey Johnson told reporters before Monday's game against the Baltimore Orioles that an MRI showed no structural damage. Nationals medical director Wiemi Douoguih told USA Today that Harper has inflammation of the bursa sac in front of his knee, but should clear up in a couple of days.

The Sports Xchange With knee healed, Votto joins Team Canada A major concern going into the Cincinnati Reds' training camp was Joey Votto's left knee. Votto had two surgeries and missed 50 games after injuring the joint last year. He did not hit a home run after returning. The knee was strong enough early in spring that Votto decided to play for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. What convinced Votto? "Just games ... I needed the games," he said. "I wanted to make sure my knee was heading in the right direction.

PARIS (Reuters) - Stade Rennes midfielder Yann Mvila will be out of action for a while after tearing a knee ligament in Saturday's French Ligue 1 game at Paris St Germain, the club said on Tuesday. "Yann Mvila went for an examination this morning which showed he has torn his right knee external ligament," the club said on their website (www.staderennais.com). "The length of his absence has not been defined yet. " The 22-year-old Mvila had started his second league game in a row at PSG since returning from a brief suspension his club had imposed after an unauthorised night out with four other players while on under-21 duty.

Garrick Sherman won't be on a basketball court for the near-term. But fortunately for a Notre Dame team with stratospheric aspirations, it isn't a long-term concern. Sherman, a 6-foot-10-inch transfer forward expected to fortify the Irish frontline, has had arthroscopic surgery on his knee and will miss action into August. But the surgery was considered more of a clean-up procedure and is not deemed serious. There is optimism, in fact, that Sherman may return to playing before the end of summer school.

MIAMI (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal was forced to pull out of his semi-final against Andy Murray at the Sony Ericsson Open because of a recurrence of a knee injury. Nadal, who has had problems with his knees before on the American hardcourts, apologised for withdrawing from the Masters series event, but said he had to. "I am not ready to compete today. I am very sorry for the fans. I'm very sorry for the tournament. I'm very sorry for everybody who were ready to watch the match on the television," Nadal told a news conference.

BOURBONNAIS -- Many of his teammates took time to get away on vacations since the Chicago Bears last gathered as a team in mid-June. Gabe Carimi took it as an opportunity to continue to work on his right knee, which was surgically repaired in December. He was cleared to participate in the offseason program in late May and two months later Carimi will be a full-go in training camp. The first-round draft pick from 2011 is slated to be the starting right tackle and said he's excited just to go back to work.

Despite not playing since February, former Kentucky center Nerlens Noel figures to be the NBA draft's first or second overall pick. He missed the last nine games of his freshman season with an ACL tear but did enough with 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.4 blocks per game when he did play to impress scouts. His 6-foot-11 frame and 7-4 wing span don't hurt, either. "It's coming along well," Noel said of his knee injury. "I'm ahead of schedule. " He did not say what his targeted return date is but said he is following instructions of his doctor and physical therapist.

The Sports Xchange MLB Team Report - Miami Marlins - INSIDE PITCH In the first few months of the season, the Marlins plan to take it easy on left fielder Logan Morrison, who was bothered all spring by a sore right knee. Morrison got the day off Thursday to rest the knee, and Chris Coghlan stated in left field in the Marlins' 4-0 loss in Cincinnati. Morrison had arthroscopic surgery on the knee in early December. He was limited to five games in spring training, but he had one of Miami's four hits in the opener Wednesday at Marlins Park.